Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

With Indiana Sprint Week just around the corner I would like to ask folks to share their favorite memory or moment from years past.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

2004 Twin Cities. JJ Yeley's last corner pass for the win.

Don't remember the year but it was my first time at kokomo. My dad and I were walking through the pits and just were impressed by how many people used to make the trek from California each year.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Terry Pletch's first and only career USAC win in the 1999 Indiana Sprintweek opener at Terre Haute. Won it from the last row!!! Aired live on ESPN2.

Wasn't there but watched it on TV. Great to see the underdog win once in a while.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

As far as I'm concerned, that was the greatest drive I have ever seen. He started well back in the pack and kind of got lost in the shuffle. For some reason, I really felt he had a chance to shine that night. Watching him put that sprint car in places that it really shouldn't have fit was very exciting to watch. Going into 3 and coming off of 4 he looked like he was shot out of a cannon. I kinda just sat there asking did that really happen?

Sad to see Twin Cities fall into the wrong hands and no longer be a part of sprint week. I saw a lot of good racing there in the day.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Correct me if I'm wrong; but didn't he drive the last 10 laps with a flat left front?

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Flat right front tire.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Just noticed your Thunder video. Thanks for posting this. It wasn't quite 10 laps but holding off Yeley and Elliott for two with a flat is still my favorite ISW memory. Great hearing Larry Rice's commentary. I was in my long held seat coming out of four that night.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

2005: North Vernon. Cory Kruseman in the Keith Kunz 67, all red. Complete domination of the evening. Remember in the feature. Him putting the car in places I’ve only seen a select few do and get away with it. (Other times drivers on the head).. I think he lapped up to 5th or 6th place… that evening. The kicker: Tracy Hines in the Hoffman car I believe finished 2nd. Getting out of the car thinking that he won the race, because Kruser was that far ahead of everybody else…

I remember standing behind Terry Pletch waiting to get a pit pass at Lawrenceburg the night after he won at Terre Haute. Several people walked up to tell him great job and I remember his response... I did not do it on my own. One of his greatest achievements and yet still so humble.

All my favorite sprint week memories involve people. I rarely think about the on track racing action.

The first time I went to Indiana Sprint Week in 1997. That's when I decided that I have to live in Indiana. It took awhile for that to happen, but finally moved here in 2006.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

2 years ago,,,Clauson running 2nd at haubstat ( final night ). Found himself up-side-down in turn 4 fence with like 10 laps to go.. He stayed belted in,,, they they pulled him from fence,,,changed his tires,,,started at tail,,came back ( in a wrecked car ) to finish top 5.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

That was my first Sprint Week, also the night I became a Clauson fan.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Gas City 2011. The day that changed my life. The rest is just part of the ongoing story.

2011 at Brownstown with the water truck coming out on the backstretch while the first heat was under green, some of the best racing I've seen after they fixed the track. Whatever happened to Casey Riggs who won that night?

Started this thread last week which was perhaps a bit premature, would love to hear more stories.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Haubstat I believe it was either 2009 or 2010 BC and Levi showed up tied qualified like 9 & 10 I think they both won their heats setting up a winner take all feature. They both got to 1st and 2nd and for the last 10 laps went at it like it was .... well for a Indiana Sprint Week Title. The last 5 laps was the first time I had heard the crowd over the sound of the engines. Levi won BC finished 2nd but it was the hardest that I had seen 2 drivers race for a win & a championship to this day. I will never forget walking on the front straight away emotionally drained from the week, from the race, but yet I knew how special it was to be a part of that night.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

I think it was 3 years ago at Putnamville, but could be 2. Spending about 45 minutes in a golf cart with some guy named Bill Gardner. I'm like Bill, I see a lot of races, and they all seem to combine together, the people though, they stand out.

I remember that night well, I'll never forget BC kneeling on the front stretch after the race!If I remember correctly they started side by side in 5th row and there was a wreck on the first lap, on the restart I think Levi started in the 2nd row.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Morty setting off the horn during the open red at Gas City

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Actually that was Drew. That was great

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That was great. And original. Remember they went for it, too. Crews started leaving their cars and heading back toward the pits.

Jerry

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

I can hear Morty's gravely voice now saying something like. "We looked all over for an air horn. Cost me like $30"

Probably got $1000 worth in laughs out of it though!

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

So many good memories, but maybe this is #1:

Two years ago, LPS. After the feature the 3 year old wanted to sit in a race car. Racing was done for the night so we went onto the S/F line and milled around. He ended up in the ISW winning car that year, driven by L. Jones and owned by T. Stewart.

Chris Pederson loves taking pictures of grandkids and he was there. He went one better and sweet talked T. Stewart into posing as well. The picture sits about 8 feet to my left here.

Here is the kicker: Karston was then oblivious to who Tony Stewart was. He ignores TS in the picture and is looking at his buddy Chris.

My NASCAR friends ask why didn't we get an autograph? I snort and reply that Karston didn't know Tony Stewart from Tony Bennett. If I do my job, he will learn who Tony Main or Tony Jarrett (Logan's dad to Karston) are first.

Tony Funk, too.

EVERY year at this time, when that first car is pushed off for hot laps on the first night is my favorite moment, and the saddest is at Haubstadt when the lights go out after Victory Lane. Some of us are so spoiled to live so close to all of this and get to enjoy 2 weekends of some of the greatest racing on earth. 3 DAYS AND COUNTING.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

I did parts of Sprintweek in '05, '07, and '09... and my best memory has to be Kamp in '09... the 3-wide battle for the lead on the last lap with Whitt on the bottom, Darland up top, and Chad Boat in the middle... photo finish with Darland (allegedly) winning. They probably should've given them both a trophy... might be the best race I've ever seen. Other memories are Sweet flying out of Haubstadt in '05.. lucky he didn't kill anybody in the pits where he landed.. or seriously hurt himself. Somebody mentioned Kruser killing 'em at North Vernon in '05... but my memories of that race were Clayton in his heat race going from 8th to 3rd in one corner, then back to 7th in the next corner... then up to 2nd... then back to 6th... in typical Clayton gas-mashing style! The ledge that built up on the cushion that night was like a wall.. and can't forget Jon Sciscoe flipping through the fence in turn 1. Another great memory was the race between Stanbrough & Darland at Kokomo in '07 - which was my first time there - Darland leading every lap but the last. Good times!

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Kamp 09 was dusty as heck, car even flipped out of park and took two laps to throw the red but the racing speeks for itself. You can see it here but not EXPERIENCE IT :)

My first ISW race at Lawrenceburg 7 years ago, I'm hooked

July 15th, 2010...

Brady Short wins ISW at Brownstown!! What a great race!!

SPD 37

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Most impressive ISW performance: To me it was JJ Yeley at Terre Haute, in the Stanton car. Fast qualifier. Started 6th. Had the lead and was checking out, by the time they were on the backstretch, after taking the green. He then just demolished the field! At one point he had lapped every car, except I think Shane Cottle and was bearing down on him, when a yellow came out. Otherwise, he would have lapped the entire field!!

Jerry

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Too many to single out one. A lot of good memories.

I don't remember the year but I'm sitting at Kamp just enjoying a night of ISW racing. I hear this guy a couple rows behind me say.... Well, Bill Gardner is up here somewhere.

I assumed the comment was made to get my attention so I turned around and there sit Danny Burton, talking to someone on the phone. They were asking him for a live update because Indiana Open Wheel was down.

Danny saw me in front of him and said, IOW is down right now. I laughed and said well I don't think I can do anything about it here.

I went home that evening to find out the hosting company had shut IOW down because it was getting to much traffic for the amount of money I was paying for their service.

I spent the next few days moving IOW to a new host and new servers because I found out just how popular Indiana Sprint Week was becoming around the country.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

Bloomington 2000. My first ever traditional sprint car race. After the first hot lap session, I was a fan for life. Two out of the first four qualifiers flipped and I told my wife; "these guys are CRAZY !" (she agreed). All night long, every time I saw trouble developing, I'd elbow her and point. She returned the favor when she spotted Kasey Kahne headed straight for the water truck. Jay Drake dominated and lapped just about everybody, but it didn't matter. I was HOOKED!

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

I believe it was '99 The night after Pletch won Terre Haute at the old Burg.

Can't remember who was the other but two cars, Yelley and another car were coming off four side by side for the checker and Jay Drake Split em for the win. My Dad swore Yelley won, But i seen what happened and indeed Drake pulled it off in the 67 Kunz car.

Re: Favorite ISW Moment/Memory
 

I thought that was Lawrenceburg. But I trust your memory better than mine. Given the geography, Kamp's makes sense. After you said, in effect, oh well, I had quite a chuckle myself.

2009. That was my favorite too. Actually that's my favorite race I've seen to this day. I've never seen two guys want something so bad and fight so hard for it - especially Bryan. That was my first trip to Haubstadt. I took two carloads of people back with me the next year!